Thursday, October 09, 2008

Hoplophobia

Yesterday, October 8, 2008, Elizabeth Snead, author of The Dish Rag (a Los Angeles Times blog) penned a piece concerning a photograph that appeared on the cover of Newsweek magazine (reference the photograph in this post). Snead's purpose in writing the post concerned the relevancy of printing a photograph of Sarah Palin taken in 2002. Snead went on to write, "Hey, is that even the right way to hold a rifle? Can't you shoot your foot off like that?" Many have interpreted that comment as critical of Palin and sceptical of her familiarity with firearms. No pun intended, well maybe it is, Snead's comment seems to have blown up in her face. However, this comment merely displays a naivete common among our tender, moisturized urbanites. But, so what? No harm, no foul. But, Snead just can't leave well enough alone. It seems, prodded by some unflattering comments, Snead revealed a bit more about her views concerning gun owners today, Thursday, October 9, 2008. The embattled blogger responded to negative comments by saying, "maybe gun-owners/lovers really are short-sighted. And maybe even hot-headed and dangerous." This is the bile that runs just under the surface. Perhaps, critics weren't so off the mark about Snead.

We have in our midst those afflicted with paroxysms of the mind that, when provoked, show themselves in full relief; the unvarnished self laid bare. The irrational fear that many posses concerning firearms prevents their understanding of the issues from a composed, logical perspective. This psychological affliction has been termed Hoplophobia by the late Jeff Cooper. Cooper coined the term, deriving it from the Greek word hoplon, meaning "instrument" or synonymously "weapon", and phobos, meaning "terror." Hoplophobia is a fear or horror of a morbid character concerning weapons."The essence of the affliction is the belief that instruments cause acts." Jeff Cooper, To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth. As a phobia it is irrational, being derived from impressions foisted on individuals through a liberal media and educational system. Firearms are tools of power. The rifle, in particular, has enabled mankind to extend his dominion over the earth, providing food for the table, protection from wild beasts, and defense against oppression. Evil men, who would extend their malevolent will over their fellow man have found a nemesis in an armed citizenry. In this, the Second Amendment to the Constitution finds its fullest meaning. And, this is why the liberal left so opposes the right to keep (possess/own) and bear (to carry about) arms. The rifle, pistol, or shotgun are a tools of power. Therefore, the liberal Marxist conspirator seeks to eliminate every source of power that threatens its political, religious, and economic hegemony. The liberal left cannot win the war of words. Therefore, they seek to eliminate the means of physical resistance.

Snead thinks gun owners are dangerous. She's afflicted with a malignant case of hoplophobia. Snead fears what she doesn't understand and attacks out of instinct. She is of the over civilized ilk that hide behind the dust covered boots of men and women with guns, who stand watch upon the battlements of this republic. There are hard and ready men both here and abroad who know the price of a free republic and live as the warriors of old with courage, honor, and passion. They share nothing in common with the effete urbanite who preens his lacquered fingernails and moves with oily manner in his silken shirts. These hard and ready men know that the world harbors evil and that this evil is not amenable to parlay and must be met abroad and at home by force of arms. The honor of arms is the heritage of Americans, our birthright and the surest defense of our liberties.

Sarah Palin understands the meaning of the Second Amendment. She understands that these words have been hallowed by the sacrifice of blood. The figure that Sarah Palin strikes in the Newsweek photograph is the paradigm of femininity; an empowered woman with a command of firearms. By this tool of power she is made the equal of men and master of all she surveys. The Sarah Palin in that Newsweek photograph is my kind of woman.

"Personal weapons are what raised mankind out of the mud, and the rifle is the queen of personal weapons. The possession of a good rifle, as well as the skill to use it well, truly makes a man the monarch of all he surveys. It realizes the ancient dream of the Jovian thunderbolt, and as such it is the embodiment of personal power." Jeff Cooper, The Art Of The Rifle

82 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I have no problems with gun owners with one exception - their extreme paranoia. Everywhere they look, it seems, someone is allegedly trying to take their guns away. Calm down, relax, step away from the shotgun, no one is trying to take your guns away. Even the Democrats have wised up and moved away from gun control issues realizing (A) it does no good from a crime-prevention angle, and (B) It loses them elections.

While the NRA may soon find themselves with no one to fight over gun issues, it sure doesn't stop gun owners from acting like paranoid freaks.

Interesting comments John; the only problem is that it does not have anything to do with reality. For instance, I'm a liberal Demo and I own lots o' guns. Hand guns, shot guns, rifles and more. There goes your point. Oh well

If Palin is such a saint why does she revel in political nastiness? She seems to get delight in playing the slime game. She is a polarizing figure in a time when we need the country united. A horrible pick for VEEP. Just horrible. WAKE UP, MOMS!

God, spare me. So when are we going to talk about the real issues? Personally, I'm for the people. Although I make in excess of $250,000/year I vote democrat, because I believe that my success is intimately tied with the success of those who are less fortunate. The sad part of all this, if McCain/Palin pull of a win, I will be part of the group that benefit from his tax cuts. All those who don't make at least in the triple digits per year will be the ones who will be struggling. So I say, vote wisely, vote for someone who has as much to loose as you. McCain has more houses than you have pairs of shoes, or coats to wear, I dare to say he has more houses than you have underwear. Just remember, once he's in, you take what he gives you, good or bad. Don't complain when you can't send your kids to college, and can't afford a vacation, food, gas, or cloths. Don't even try to complain, because you got what you wanted.Even though my profession affords me a certain economic freedom, it sends chills through my spine to think of how much more the middle class has to struggle, and the potential of how much more they can bare under another 4 years of a republican administration. Vote wisely.

There are hard and ready men both here and abroad who now the price of a free republic? Whats that price, accidently shooting your neighbor at night? Most gun deaths are accidents. Thank god for all those hard and ready people. By the way I was under the impression that the U.S. Military was plenty "Hard and Ready" to protect this republic from evil abroad.

Tami, Sarah Palin was chosen for her looks. Period.She is a pawn to benefit more Washington politics. You should start reading a bit more and get out of the house and talk with people who do not look like you or share your religious beliefs or your income. Perhaps volunteer at a battered womens shelter, or a soup kitchen.Seriously.I am not trying to knock you down, but I believe you are seriously out of touch.Mona, a former teacher and single mother of two, now married and an empty-nester.

I also am shocked at the hate spewed against Sarah Palin. Especially in CNN. They mocked her hair, her glasses, her earrings, her lipstick, her dresses and skirts, her shape, her legs, her baby, her husband, her children, her pregnant daughter, her membership in the NRA, that she hunts and fishes, that she can skin a moose, that she is a hocky mom, and that she did not sit in trembles and fear like an abused wife as she was in-terror-gated.

Unless you live on a farm, or a war zone, you don't NEED a gun. No one ever NEEDS a gun, unless you are in a war and there are other people with guns shooting you. This love affair that you republicans have with guns is bordering on psychotic, and anyone who thinks that this backwards, slang-talking, wanna-be folksy, borderline mentally retarded, and TOTALLY INCAPABLE woman to have any position of authority, much less veep, should seriously have their head examined, and maybe even their right to vote revoked. I bet all you gun toting religious nuts are raising children, too. Man, do I feel sorry for them. For all your talk about values, where is the value in having a baby out of wedlock when you are a teenager? Maybe if Sarah Palin had spent more time raising her children than furthering her political career, her daughter would have been better prepared to make the big choices in life. Well, that's Republican thinking for you, elect someone based on emotion, not logic, because it just "feels right". Ridiculous. I can't wait until Obama wins.

I'm more or less pro-gun, but the second amendment arguments always make me laugh.

Could someone explain to me how owning a bunch of guns will somehow protect you from your government. Given that your government owns 8,000 battle tanks, and has 10,000 hydrogen bombs, how do you expect you asnd your home arsenal would do any better against it than insurgents in Iraq. Especially given the US is seriously pulling its punches (no nukes) in Iraq.

Please .. ladies .. you need a president, not one of you to be the president. Don't you just get it ? If you like to relate to her so much, just invite her to tea parties and be done with it. Don't mix presidency with your tea party conversations. They are just different.

Expect Palin to be booed mercilessly in Philadelphia on Saturday night. I'll be there, and I can't wait to show the nation the esteem in which I hold the nicest, most unqualified candidate ever to run for the nation's executive office. Go Flyers.

Only four weeks or so until Sarah goes back to Alaska with her tail between her legs, never to be heard from again. Enjoy it while it lasts! Could you also try to be less transparently racist and proud of your ignorance about the world?

Also, the rendition of the song on your homepage is tacky... why are you so jingoistic, anyway? Do you really think you are a morally righteous person than people from Haiti, Japan, or Laos? Do you even know where those countries are? Broaden your horizons!

Why do they keep her locked away from the press, other than Fox? Because she can't talk without putting her foot in her mouth. Why doesn't she answer questions about her husband's ties to anarchists? HER HUSBAND!!! Has she ever denounced the group whose founder hates America more than anyone we know of and who the First Dude supported for 7 years? Explain that before you go throwing mud at others.

Hasn't anyone noticed that Obama has not, in almost 2 years of campaigning (his entire Senate term), said anything specific. He cannot name anything he has done. He is trying to raise our hopes with rhetoric. We do not need a rock star. He has cheated us out of a qualified Democrat candidate.

Palin is not overly qualified, but she's at least as qualified as Obama.

Camille Minichino, a Democrat since my first vote in 1960, but not now.

I'm missing the connection between Sarah Palin and 911 or how she is more patriotic than any of the other candidates. With less than a month to go before the election, she offers no solutions to any problems our nation is facing. Now all she can talk about is Obama serving on a committee that was funded by a republican. Why isn't she talking about McCain and his ties to Charles Keating? Can someone involved in one economic crisis solve another one? More important, should he even be given a chance? I am a Viet Nam veteran, I believe in gun ownership but not the right to own machine guns or armor piercing ammunition, I believe in the right to have a child or an abortion as the personal circumstances dictate. I am not a republican or a democrat, I vote the issues and the candidates. Sarah Palin can sit and talk with you because she is a politician, not because she is a mom. Her children are all cared for by domestic servants. 1 child or 10, it doesn't matter to her. She is not well informed about the world and has not seemed inclined to learn other than shutting up those "gotcha" journalists who ask those tough "what papers do you read" and "what would the bailout do" questions. John McCain aside, this woman is not ready to be vice-president. Not because she is a woman (I supported Hilary until she lost), but because she not fit to be elected.

As a fellow blogger, I can't help but laugh at the amount of "anonymous" comments left on this blog... it can only mean one of two things - either those that say they're republicans are afraid of making their opinion public (which says more than you think) OR those opposed to you for some reason want to hide their face... That said,I must say that Sarah Palin has to be the worst choice for a VP ever. Once again, I ask you to please - PLEASE do your research and think of the future of this country. This is crazy, you are so out of touch that it's actually entertaining.

I saw you enlightened people on CNN, and I just couldn't help myself. We don't have two parties, we have one party with two factions. You gals should like these. I DARE you to watch all of them all the way through, chicken! I'll beg you if I have to! PLEASE! I'm begging you PLEASE!!! There are two sides to every story and as long as people are blinded by politics (of any kind, party or otherwise) you'd never guess just how deep the other side of the argument can go. I don't want converts, I don't need your help, I don't give a hoot what you believe. But, I'm sure that we could all agree that educating ourselves isn't wrong, right? Decide for yourself what you believe, don't listen to me or ANYONE else. O, I stopped begging - PLEASE!!!

I'm a liberal-leaning mom who was brought up to shoot guns. Labeling all liberals as anti-gun is silly, and reflects the lack of nuance that is endemic in politics today. I can be ok with people owning a .22, and not with them owning a TEC-9 and not be in violation of either my senses or the 2nd Amendment.

it doesn't matter whether Sarah Palin is a good wife, good mother , a hocky mom or a energetic crowd pleaser or knows how to use rifle! What matters is does she have experience and wisdom to make or support decisions being made on behalf of american people. McCain is a wall-street policy making guy. He doesn't know what an ordinary family goes thru to make ends meet on daily basis. He is too busy bashing his opponent. Can Sarah make a difference in our lives?

If you think she understand what she is talking, please enlighten my mind too!

From what I can see - she is being used by McCain campaign for votes and she doesn't mind that as a quick ladder to white house!

As a Christian philosopher, I urge you strenuously to reconsider any support for Sarah Palin. She is woefully undereducated, ill prepared, and unfit for any national office. She has engaged in dishonorable lies and smears against a worthy opponent, simply because she was asked to do so. She should not be voted into high office.

qWell said by others, while I personally have no fear of guns, and indeed a greater fear of those who would prevent us from having them, this piece seems to imagine some anti-gun lobby that is as large and powerful as the pro-life (sorry pro-choice) lobby. Palin likes to hunt. Great. Someone in the media doesn't. She's not alone with that; let's face it, much as you and I think it's our right to have guns, they're hardly necessary for these urbanites and jackasses who don't protect their own guns cause loads of statistical trouble with them. You can't deny that, and whining about this reasonable opinion isn't getting your case further only among the choir who are already sold on this view. Thanks for your discussion and citing of Jeff Cooper though.

I weep when I watch the videos of hunters shooting wolves from helicopters. Chasing them for miles and shooting defenseless animals that belong in the food chain is not right.

Since when can Mothers oblige to harming animals purposely and so cruelly? Once Alaska was an untouched World Wonder but now it seems even there that the most important Mother of all, Mother Nature, is being held by her throat and raped again.

Hey I saw this blog from CNN just now. I must say I have to comment on this. I don't understand how you can appeal to her. I agree with being against abortion and so am I. But its fine to show her killing moose, deer and killing wolves from a helicopter. Your a born again Christian, so you must respect animals to right? Even better try being an Arab American, being illegally searched and being stereotyped for being Arab. She doesn't care. You southern people only care about one thing, WHITE PEOPLE. Just because hes black if gives you an excuse not to vote for him. A mum for Palin? So its ok that teenager girls get pregnant and its a challenge? Believe in God and it will be fine? Isn't having sex before marriage against the Bibles ways? The last 8 years has been REPUBLICAN. So you want more of an economic downturn because of a couple values that won't be affecting you. Thinking about the future leaders of America like me that is already 20,000 in debt of college loans. I just want you to be aware of these ideas. Take them or leave them. Thank you

I am shocked that you people call yourselves christians and support this ticket!!!! Do any of you have loved ones in the war???? Have you lost anyone to the war???? HOw can you support the ticket that could care less about when our troops get home???? I am so pisssed off that people actually support this cr*p!!! Look the mess we are in now after 8 years of bs, and you want more???? Get a brain, wake yp, and realize that stem cell research isn't what should get you, but over 2000 deaths of our fellow citizens in this war should, and the fact that people are jobless, homeless, and hurting!! You are all the reason America has lost so much respect in this world. Shame on all of you!

It's truly amazing that ANYONE that with over a 5th grade education would think Sarah Palin would be a good choice for running this country. She's truly an idiot, and so are you for thinking her smug unexperienced, corrupt self is capable of running her own home, much less my country.

Well, now that i think about it, it appears that she cant even run her own house..pregnant unwed teen daughter, son who had a choice of jail or the military...oh yeah, she's the right choice!

Sarah Palin = The dumbing down of America in the FLESH. C'mon Moms. Wake up and smell the fruit dip you're all slurping up on CNN. There's more to politics than being able to have a kitchen table chat with an equally attractive, eye-winking, colloquialism spewing, soccer mom like yourselves. What about the rest of us? I'm nauseated at the thought of Sarah Palin and John McCain making it into the Whitehouse.

Palin is a joke and nothing but a flash in the pan. I will be so glad when this election is over and she is back "up there in Alaska" with Tod and all those kids. UGH. McCain lost my vote by picking this woman who just isn't ready to lead a nation...she should have said, "Thanks, but no thanks." Mavericks...yeah. I am a proud Ohio voter who is going to do early voting tomorrow and will most definitely pull the lever for OBAMA*BIDEN. It is time for change...McCain has a temper, is old, and feeble and if that wasn't enough - Palin has done him in, doggone it. Do I think McCain is a good man? You betcha! Do I think he is stable/ready/able to be president - say it ain't so but - NO! GO OBAMA!

Here is my biggest hang up: People are saying that "She is just like me", "She is one of us", "She could be my friend". BUT, how many of your friends would you trust to lead the free world? Ugh, I know my friends. I would want them sitting in the white house.

I just feel that we went this "folksy" and "down home" route before and his name is George W. Bush. I am sorry; I just can't do it again. Part of me being a Mom is thinking about what I have to do to protect my children's future, NOT who would I like to talk about Project Runway with.

In 2007 Americans for Tax Reform gave Senator Obama a grade of 5. In 2007 National Taxpayers Union gave Senator Obama a grade of F. Senator Obama supported the interests of the Americans for Tax Reform 15 percent in 2006. Senator Obama supported the interests of the FreedomWorks 25 percent in 2006. Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Taxpayers Union 16 percent in 2006. Senator Obama supported the interests of the Citizens for Tax Justice 100 percent in 2005-2006. Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Tax Limitation Committee 8 percent in 2005-2006. Senator Obama supported the interests of the Americans for Tax Reform 0 percent in 2005. Senator Obama supported the interests of the FreedomWorks 6 percent in 2005. Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Taxpayers Union 6 percent in 2005. Senator Obama supported the interests of the Taxpayers for Common Sense 40 percent in 2005. Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Taxpayers United of Illinois 10 percent in 2001-2002. Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Taxpayers United of Illinois 0 percent in 1999.

I am absolutely amazed. I saw this on CNN and had to make sure this site really did exist! Why do only part of the proceeds for the sale of your t-shirts go to an organization? Why not all of the proceeds? And, you don't even specify an organization. Do you even know? I think you should blog about how Governor Palin is going to help the economy instead of blogging about how she is being mistreated by the media.

Please, if you are going to quote websites, and we all know how trusty those are, can you quote those that are independent and unbiased. I have children who like to bend the truth and I don't have time for that in politics.

I applaud you for supporting your candidate with the dedication that you have. I do the same for mine.The reasons that I see conservative women supporting Sarah Palin on are of course personal to your America, and how they affect you in the area that you live in. Unfortunately that is not a reflection of all of America, and any religious beliefs should have no bearing in Presidential Candidacy. That is for you and your community.To say that you feel like Palin is someone that you can sit down with and have snacks is great. there are many people I feel like that about, unfortunately, they are not qualified to be second in command of our Trident Nuclear Missiles, and have no economics education, and therefore should not be anywhere near the White House.Sarah Palin is about as educated and qualified to preside over the Senate and be second in command, as you are.I personally like her too, but to cast a vote to stand second to a 72 year old man that is so close to the actual lobbyist that got us in this economic disaster that we are in, is clearly thinking with the "Conservatives no matter what" blinders.

Once again we are in the crapper after 8 years of Republican regime, and just because you feel like you can sit down with "the rockstar hockey mom" you want to give them another 4 to finish it off.You are not thinking clearly, only about your own personal agenda.We all have to live 4 years with the next decision, not just suburban hockey moms, and if the last 8 years were not bad enough for you, with it's stellar finish of recession, an illegal quagmire of a war, and financial corruption from deregulation...then go ahead and keep voting for the incompetence and take the rest of us down the drain with you.Hey, at least you'll have a hockey mom in charge of the nukes.

Will you really throw away your vote to an unqualified candidate and keep the U.S. on the verge of economic disaster, and bogged down in Iraq while Bin Laden roams free, just to reverse Roe vs. Wade ?If you don't believe in abortion, don't have one. If you don't believe in stem cell research, then don't ask for it when your family members are in a wheel chair.If you don't believe in gay marriage, then don't marry someone of the same sex.

We do not need morality legislation. Religious freedom means for all, not just those who think they are right.

To sit there as "moral" christian women and not be horrified at the hate, and shouts of death at Palin rallies concerning Barack Obama, that she seems to encourage, seems a little self serving, and certainly not very christian at all.

I don't mind differences of opinion but Sarah Palin thinks that the world started 6000 years ago... and that men and DINOSAURS walked the earth at the same time. You have a serious problem if you won't acknowledge or are incapable of understanding grammar school science concepts. This women has nothing to bring to the national or global stage except that she's white. But for all of you bigots hiding behind your "religious convictions" that's all it really takes. YOU GOT PWN'D! SHAZZZZAM!

JESSICA SUTTUN....Just reading through some of the comments and noticed she mentioned how "funny" she thought it was and her judgment about the people listing anomyous comments. Hello, Jessica,...mostly because we don't want to take the time to sigh up for a gmail account....duh!!!!!!!1I just had to come onto the site because I couldn't beleive there were any women drulling over a hippocrite like palin.

I disagree with all those who call Palin a moron. She seems to be of about average intelligence. Unfortunately, that was the problem with Bush. No, he's not a moron, but he's just not brilliant enough to hold the reins of the most powerful nation on earth. I am a Canadian with some conservative and some liberal tendencies, and I have to say I'm amazed at how American conservatives have not been able to produce better figureheads for conservatism than this. While I don't always agree with our conservative Canadian Prime Minister, I respect his intelligence. My point: there are brilliant conservatives. There are brilliant woman conservatives who can talk clearly and convincingly of the economy, foreign affairs, etc. Palin is clearly not one of these, and people like her are doing more to harm conservative causes than good. It's agonizing to watch her, it's like watching a campaign for high school student leader. Sorry ladies, but this can't be just a popularity contest. She's just not smart enough. You'll have to do better next time.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law. Rom 13:10Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying. Rom 15:2Let all your things be done with charity. 1Cor 16:14

I would rather withdraw from political discussion than give up my Christian principles.

With all humility, I do not see being compared to an animal that is trained to fight with every one of its own kind (pit bull terrier) as a compliment and surely not for a person who wants to be more like Christ every day.

It hurts deeply to see my religion, which is centered upon love for each other, appropriated for divisive political purposes.

and another thing, christians aren't supposed to inspire hate... what is with the rabid, hateful mccain-palin rallies? you all are supporting this and consider yourselves christians? you should be ashamed of yourselves.

I'm a pro-Obama woman from Missouri. Sarah Palin is completely not qualified, doesn't represent my positions on issues, and has a nasty attitude that she uses to deliver outright lies. Every time she and McCain tell a lie about Obama being a terrorist sympathizer, there are blue state women donating more money to Obama and convincing more of our friends to follow our lead.

I think it's unfair to criticize palin, she's obviously an accomplished woman. The question is,is she qualified to be the VP or President of this great country? I'd ask a Palin supporter this: if her resume came across your table, would you even ask her back for an interview for this position? Just because she's effectively managed to be a successful working mother of 5, and seems like someone you'd want to hang out and have a drink with, does NOT qualify her to lead this country. I am having a very hard time understanding why more people aren't terrified if she is elected. We are in a foreign crisis, economic crisis. How can anyone believe she is qualified to bring us out of this?

I voted for John McCain in 2000 when he ran in the primary. Elizabeth Dole would have been better and more qualified choice. As a intelligent conservative woman, I cannot support Sarah Palin. She does not have the knowledge to run this county at anytime during the next eight years

I just saw you piece on CNN. I was amazed. From appearances you seem to be a good mother, and have a loving home. Being a mother myself, I have a major issue with Gov. Palin. At the time of the convention her baby was only 5 months old. No way should that baby go to that convention with all that noise. I doubt you would take a 5 month old baby to a noisy basketball game. What if the baby had a problem? Did she use good judgement? Did she use that baby to further her career? I think that is very poor judgement as a mother. She could have had a video of baby Trig and let him stay home and sleep like a little baby should. Then again after the debate there is the poor little guy with all that noise, and you could tell by the way they passed him around that he wasn't happy. They gave him to the youngest daughter and he hushed up. Do you think maybe she holds him alot?

Jesus said "Suffer the little children to come unto him" Do you think he would approve of her actions?

I saw an article on you women on CNN dot com and just had to visit. I am behind you 100 per cent. I know how difficult it can be to do anything political what with all of the shoppin, cookin, child raisin, and man pleasin a woman has to do. Just be sure you do not let your support of Sarah Palin distract from your wifely and motherly duties. My wife did and now she is my ex and I am remarried to a good little woman like yourself. She however with that uppiry "I can decide myself who to vote for" attitude will probably dies an old maid.

Contrary to what some Sarah Palin supporters tell you the truth, for all intents and purposes, is she is opposed to 2nd amendment rights. The second amemdment is very explicit in stating that the purpose of the amendment is to allow people to have sufficient arms to ensure "the security of a free State". The arms that Palin favors allowing under this amendment clearly would not enable citizens to do this. She is opposed to allowing citizens to have precisely the kinds of arms necessary for modern combat. Included on this list would be portable surface to air missiles, anti tank guns, rockets grenades, mines, artillery, and unrestricted access to all automatic weapons etc. Those are some of the kinds of weapons needed by citizens to defend this country in the modern age. Since Palin is opposed to allowing citizens to have weapons such as these, she is fundamentally opposed to the 2nd amendment.

God have mercy on us all if this woman gets elected. Please, I am begging you all to actually LISTEN to what she is saying. She is clueless, unaware, and a fanatic. How can you be against killing a fetus but in support of killing a grown man that you've arbitrarily labeled a "terrorist"? The majority of people dying in Iraq are civilians; families that are struggling like the ones in america; fathers, mothers, children. This has nothing to do with Christianity and Christ's message, this is INSANE!

This hypocrisy and double-standard is why this country is failing. We need a non religious government so that every person of every religion has a voice. Why would you make the little hindu kid learn creationism, or the little Muslim kid pray to Jesus? It's not fair, the government needs to be secular.

I myself am a Christian who grew up in a Muslim country, so I know what it is like to be at odds with the religion of the government and the majority.

This woman has no place running for office. Please reconsider your choice, it is a dangerous one.

Just what America needs, another uneducated born again thinking their voice will actually make a difference in this election. that CNN report made me laugh; it's people like you who dumb down this great country of ours. You can tell everyone you want that these comments only make you want to get the message out more, but be honest 11,000 views, half of them hate, you're doing a hell of a job. Keep up the good work!!

-Mike

send me an e-mail, I'd love to hear the intelligent things you come up with. mikejwu89@yahoo.com

HELLO, I AM SOMEONE WHO WILL BE SUPPORTING BARACK OBAMA BUT I AM HIGHLY DISTURBED BY THE RHETORIC COMING FROM BOTH SIDES. I THINK SARAH PALIN WAS A BRILLIANT PICK BY MCCAIN AND THINK THAT WHILE SOME PUNDITS IN THE MEDIA DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF SARAH PALIN, I DO THINK THAT SINCE SHE IS NEW TO THE NATIONAL SCENE, JOURNALIST SHOULD ASK WHO IS SARAH PALIN. BOTH JOHN MCCAIN AND BARACK OBAMA HAVE HAD THIS QUESTION ASKED OF THEMSELVES. WHILE SOME MAY FEEL THEY HAVE NOT HEARD ENOUGH ABOUT EACH CANIDATE TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE, THERE IS DEFINATELY ALOT MORE INFORMATION AND AWARENESS OF THE TWO THAN GOV. PALIN.I AM POSTING HERE TO TRY AND ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION W/O SOMEONE W/ A DIFFERENT VIEW POINT THAN ME TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THERE IS SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN POINT OF VIEW, AND TO FIND OUT IN WHAT WAYS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO CAN BE CLOSED. ON NOV. 5TH ONE OF THE CANIDATES WILL WIN AND THE OTHER WILL THOSE. I DO NOT THINKL A WINNER TAKE ALL ATTITUDE SERVES OUR NATION, NOT ITS PEOPLE. IT IS A NATION WE WILL RISE AND AS A NATION WE WILL FALL. SO IF ANYONE WHO IS A STRONG SUPOORTER OF GOV. PALIN AND MCCAIN WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION VIA E-MAIL I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. MY E-MAIL IS DICHOSO43@HOTMAIL.COM

this country would be so much better off without the 2nd amendment. I'm sure your hunting is far more important than the people who get murdered by people who get their hands on guns illegally.

The amendment was written in a time that is very different than now. The right to bear arms was required then as a form of keeping the government in line. Now what we need to do to keep the government in line is become educated, speak out and vote. Today's guns will not achieve the goals that the guns protected by the 2nd amendment did.

My mother lived through the nightmare of Fidel's takeover in Cuba. The first thing they did was take away the civilian's guns and basically disarmed the country against their attach. We now have a country in shambles with no way to fight for freedom. Democrats just don't get it! You would be hard pressed to find any Cuban refuge who is one.

"Although I make in excess of $250,000/year I vote democrat, because I believe that my success is intimately tied with the success of those who are less fortunate. "

This is outright silly to say. Almost everyone to a person making $250k owes their success to themselves, or people earning MORE than them. As a person in that same bracket, I have found those that earn less, typically work fewer hours, don't try as hard, and care less as well. I look at the lottery as a waste of cash, but many of these people who are 'less fortunate' actually spend at $20/week on this in HOPEs that they will come away with something. Is that a way to get to get to the top? Spending $1,000/year on random occurances?

This is an example of how you should re-eveluate your stance, if you do, in fact make $250k/year.

"Hasn't anyone noticed that Obama has not, in almost 2 years of campaigning (his entire Senate term), said anything specific. He cannot name anything he has done. He is trying to raise our hopes with rhetoric. We do not need a rock star. He has cheated us out of a qualified Democrat candidate.

Palin is not overly qualified, but she's at least as qualified as Obama.

Camille Minichino, a Democrat since my first vote in 1960, but not now."

WOW you got a lot of nerve telling us that Falin has the same quailifications as Obama...This country is really fucked up

I would like to see where you cite one acctually phrase from a democratic canidate before you attack them on something. I can see how you are writing lies and personal attacks on canidates "Barack Hussein Obama campaign." Direct quote. Do you know he is not muslim? Don't you know he's a practicing Christian for 20 years? As long as Palin has been married and she also had the time to have an inappropriate relationship with her husbands buisness partner. Wich in turn forced him out of that buisness venture. You have republicans threatening your write to freedom of speech because "Terrorist can use it against us." I'm worried about our rights of free speech just as much as our second ammendment rights. Your Republican administration threatens the American people with Martial law if congress doesn't pass a bail out bill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKBS3nLA91E

I admire your willingness to open and discuss your views on the web and allowing others to post different opinions. As an undecided voter I have seen weakness in both parties over the years of my adult life and have voted for whom I feel is the best choice. No one person has been perfect choice, as every Presidency has had to deal with some moral or legal issues along with the witch hunt by either side following. What I have noticed over the years is the growing personal attacks leveled at people when someone has a different point of view. It saddens me to see this type of behavior when we all need to focus on the issues that are of concern for this country and let the majority rule. The negative comments only prove that if you can't discuss the issues with intelligent you attack the person not the issues. Most of the time as a young person I voted Democrat and later in life have chosen more Republicans because my beliefs have changed. I wish that we would move from this mindset too one of compassion for all citizens in this country and settle our differences in a civil manor and let the majority rule but with care for the minority point of view. Let the Issues decide the the vote not the person.

what I do not understand is that all of these women are just caring about palin. But are you women nieve enough to not understand that palin has no say in what mccain does in office. it is not her you should be paying attention to it is him!! you say you did not like mccain until he announced palin. palin is not going to be the one runing this country the only say she will have as vice president is if the voting is a tie how will she help america. people wake up and smell the coffee quit being so nieve about ohh where going to have a women in office soooo whaAat!!!! do you really think mccain is capable of doing the job of pulling us out of this economy crises he is just another bush or maybe you are like him and you just DONT GET IT.

im curious if you have seen what some of Bush's policy's have put into action. That of the Brigade deployed in the US- A direct violation of the Constitution- In which these armed military personel go and round up everyone's personal Weapons. I don't disagree with owning weapons, i disagree with the government telling us we can't.

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This policy is valid from 01 September 08.This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me, Tami Nantz, and occasionally a guest blogger. In absolutely NO way do we represent Governor Sarah Palin, Sarah PAC, or any other official Sarah Palin political entity. This blog will gladly accept forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation if those offered are not in contrast with the ideas presented here. You may contact Tami Nantz via this blog for further information. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts on this blog. All current advertising is in the form of advertisements that are generated by a third party ad network. Those advertisements are identified as paid advertisements, and unfortunately often do NOT reflect the positions presented on this blog. The owner(s) of this blog are not compensated to provide commentary. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. We will always identify quotes, sources and links, and encourage you to follow those to discover the sources for yourself.